Gripping tale of family’s anguish over soldier son (From Wharfedale Observer)

Gripping tale of family’s anguish over soldier son

11:24am Friday 11th May 2012 in Leisure

The war in Afghanistan is never far from our consciousness, but what is sometimes hard for those not closely related to members of the armed forces to understand is the full impact of seeing a loved one leave for war.

This Friday Otley Courthouse welcomes a theatrical production which deals with some of those issues, and promises to be not only a fascinating piece of theatre, but also to deal with the complex issues facing those with family or friends in the forces.

The production comes from Multi Story Theatre Company, who have been touring for over 10 years with a variety of fantastic productions. This time they bring not only a compelling story but also a unique staging to the Courthouse.

Josh’s Monsters tells the story of Chrissie and Doug. Their youngest son, Josh, is about to return for a second tour of duty in Afghanistan and they have to leave in an hour to see him off.

The audience will be seated at tables and chairs between Chrissie in the kitchen and Doug in the cellar – you’ll be able to eat Chrissie’s cakes and watch Doug’s video-mixing on screen as the pair search for common ground and try to find a way forward for their family.

One of the most striking testaments to the quality and sensitivity of the production comes from a soldier’s wife, who has ‘weathered’ Iraq and Afghanistan: “A brilliant cutting edge piece of theatre that actually helped me understand better my husband’s family’s attitude to his job”.

Look out for singer-songwriter Martyn Joseph’s return to the Courthouse on Saturday, and music and dance to come the following week with Dan Cassidy (brother of Eva) on May 19, and Kieradance on Sunday May 20. Tickets and information are at www.otleycourthouse.org.uk or on 01943 467466.